77-Varanasi: Narendra Modi’s Lok Sabha constituency fact file

Varanasi which has been returning BJP candidate since 1991, except 2004 when Congress won.

The holiest city in India will witness the most fiercely contested elections in Lok Sabha elections 2014 after the Independence. BJP has fielded its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi from Varanasiwhich has been returning BJP candidate since 1991, except 2004 when Congress won. Congress has not yet declared its candidate from the seat. It remains to be seen who else contests from this high profile parliamentary constituency now.

Constituency profile:

Varanasi remained with Congress in the first three general elections. In 1967 Communist Party of India wrested the seat from Congress but it returned to the grand old party in the next elections in 1971. The next four elections saw Congress and Janata Dal winning the seats twice each. From 1991 onwards BJP candidate has been winning from the seat. In 2004 Congress candidate Dr Rajesh Kumar Mishra won from here. However, in the 2009 election Mishra was pushed to the fourth position with BJP’s Murli Manohar Joshi reclaiming the seat for the saffron party.

In the last Lok Sabha elections in 2009 a total of 15 candidates were in the fray, including a lone female candidate. Joshi defeated BSP candidate Mukhtar Ansari by a margin of 17,211 votes.

Total no of voters:

MALE

FEMALE

OTHERS

TOTAL

902969

706410

81

1609460

A total of 1,613 polling stations will be used in the Lok Sabha polls 2014.